In this first instalment of Speaking in Draft, staff writer Nathaniel Hanula-James interviews award-winning playwright David Yee about his devotion to chasing unanswerable questions.
“Swagapino” is a portmanteau of the words “swag” and “Filipino.” It’s a hybrid of Filipino and North American heritage, with a signature style that typically involves a backwards baseball cap, fresh sneakers, and the drippiest chain you can find.
“Authenticity may include trauma or suffering, but it doesn't have to end in sadness,” says playwright Marie Beath Badian. “It isn't the end of the story and it isn't the point of the story.”